Cuba and the Challenge of Reviving Its Tourism Under Unequal Conditions
On the Caribbean tourism map, Cuba holds a place as unique as it is complex. It is not just an island of beaches, music, and memory; it is a nation facing a web of economic and political obstacles that go far beyond the pandemic. Anyone who looks closely will see that Cuba’s struggle is not only to attract visitors but to survive within a global system that blocks even its own attempts at recovery.
The main barrier is the U.S. economic embargo, which not only restricts travel by American citizens—one of the nearest and most lucrative markets in the hemisphere—but also sanctions airlines, cruise companies, and financial platforms that do business with the island. The pressure extends to third countries: European, Canadian, and Latin American firms often withdraw from investing out of fear of retaliation. It’s an invisible but suffocating wall that translates into fewer flights, fewer options, less revenue, and fewer opportunities for millions of Cubans.
Added to this are banking and technological limitations that, in the 21st century, feel almost anachronistic: travelers can’t use their international credit cards, book through global platforms, or easily access digital services. The result is a tourism sector competing with nearby destinations—like the Dominican Republic or Mexico—in a race where one runner’s legs are tied.
The effects are evident on the ground: aging infrastructure, difficulties in renewing hotels and services, and an increasing dependence on distant and volatile markets such as Europe or Russia. And yet, against all odds, Cuban tourism continues to breathe—not by miracle, but by resilience.
Because what sustains Cuba is not financial credit or access to global capital, but the creative strength of its people, its living culture, its sense of hospitality, and an authenticity no prefabricated resort can imitate.
More Than a Destination: A Shared Cause
Many travelers who choose Cuba do so not only for its natural beauty or the warmth of its people, but out of a deep sympathy for a nation that has given so much to the world—culturally, scientifically, and humanly. In these difficult times, every visitor, every curious gaze, every night spent in a local guesthouse or hotel is an act of solidarity and recognition.
Because beyond all obstacles, Cuba preserves its culture, its people, and its light. And sometimes, that’s all a dream needs to survive: a grain of sand, a presence, a choice not to look away.
